Method of producing shoe forms



E. BUCKLEY AND J. J. WHITE.

METHOD OF PRODUCING SHOE FORMS.

APPLiCATION HLED AUGJB, 1918.

Patented Apr. 11, 1922.

S m M W UNETED TAT PAENT FFHCQ EDW'ARID BUCKLEY, OF AUBURN, AND JAMES J. NEETE, 0F LEWISTON, MAINE, ASSIG-NOBS T0 UNITED SHOE MACHINERY CORPORATION, OF PATERSON, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

. METHOD OF PRODUCING SHOE FOR-MS.

Application filed August 28, 1918.

To all to it 0m 2' t may concern Be it known that we, EDWARD BUCKLEY and James J. VVHITE, citizens of the United States, and residents of Auburn and Lewiston, respectively, in the county of Andrescoggin and State of Maine, have invented certain Improvements in Methods of Pro- Clucing Shoe Forms. of which the following description in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification like reference characters on the drawings indicating like parts in the several figures.

The present invention relates to improved methods of producing articles of shoe form such as are used in covering or displaying shoes.

It is the usual practice for a shoe manufacturer to furnish a number of shoe forms for each style of shoes made by him to enable the shoes to be displayed to the best advantage by his salesmen and also by the shoe retailers. These shoe forms ordinarily consist of hollow structures of fiber board or other light material shaped to approximate the last upon which the selected style of shoe was made and. when placed within the shoe act to eliminate all wrinkles in the shoe upper and give a. finished eifect to the shoes. To obtain the best results these shoe forms should fit very snugly within each shoe and consequently the shoe manufacturer obliged to furnish a large assortment of the forms in order accurately to fit each selected style and size of the various shoes. The present methods of producing these shoe forms are not such that the shoe manufacturer can economically or advantageously make the necessary shoe forms for his shoes and, therefore. he is obliged to procure them at considerable inconvenience and expense from special makers .of shoe forms. By reason of this the use of shoe forms by the shoe manufacturer is, also, more or less restricted notwithstanding their desirability and the advantages of using them.

The present invention has for its principal object to provide an improved method of producing articles of shoe form which can be readily and advantageously utilized by a shoe manufacturer to produce, in the desired. quantities, inexpensive covers or shoe forms which will be certain to accurately fit each selected style and size of shoe.

With this object in View the present in-:

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. it, 1922.

Serial No. 251,738.

vention contemplates a method of producing shoe forms on which to display any selected style of shoe which comprises applying a blank of textile material to a shoe last of the same style as the last which is used for making the shoe which is to receive that form, conforming said blank to the entire top and sides of said form-building last by applying a tension to the toe end of the blank and a tension simultaneously to opposite sides of the blank, securing the margin of the blank at the pulled over points to the last bottoml completing the shaping; of the blank to the last by working the remaining portions of the blank over on to the last bottom, providing for stiffening of the blank while shaped to the last and thereafter removing the display form from the last. In the illustrated preferred practice of the invention the material of which the shoe form is made consists of one or more layers of a heavy textile such as canvas which is treated with a stiffening element such as will cause the blank to be limp and workable while being shaped to the last and to become hard and stiffened while still shaped. to the last.

In conforming the blank to the shape of the last a pulling-over machine such as is commonly used in shoe factories to pull over shoes is preferably employed to draft the blank about the last and form it over the toe portion of the last. Any suitable means may be employed to work the remaining sides and end portion of the blank to the last bottom. Conveniently the blank is worked over on the last bottom by repeated operations and tucked in lasted position. the well known hand method lasting machine being found well adapted for this purpose. After the blank has been accuizately shapeo to the last and has become stiffened it is, according to the preferable practice of the invention, out along the edge of the last to free it from the last and it may thereafter be reinforced and then finished, in accordance with other aspects of the invention, by connecting the lower opposite edges of the shoe form with ties to prevent spreading of the form and by imparting a finished sur face to the exposed portion of the filler as when used in a shoe of the Oxford type. While the invention has been described above with special reference to its application' in production of forms to be placed inside a shoe to hold it in shape, it is obvious that the method in its broader aspects is not limited to the production of shoe forms and may be aoplied to the manufacture of other articles, tor example, to the making of articles of shoe form to be placed outside the shoe as covers or protectors to preventdelicate uppers from becoming stained during the process of manufacture.

Other objects and features ofthe present invention will now be described in connection with the accompanying drawings which illustrate a preferred i iethod of practising the invention and the invention will then be pointed out in the appended claims.

Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing the preparation of the shoe term blank and its application to the last in accordance with one step in the preferred practice of: the present invention;

Fig, 2 is a perspective view illustrating the step of shaping the toe portion of the blank to the shape of the toe of the last upon which the blank is being shaped;

Fig. 3 is a perspectiv illustrating the shaping of the remaining portions of the shoe form blank to the last;

Fig. 4 is a perspective showing the shoe form after being removed. from the last and having the final finishing operations performed thereon.

In carryingout the invention in one man ner in which it has been successtully practised a suitably shaped. blank 2 consisting preferably of a plurality of laminas otheavy canvas or drilling is provided, the blank being of sufficient size and of such form as to completely envelop the entire top and sides 01"? a last 6 of the selected size and style and having its marginal portion 8. extend ng a distance over on to the bottom 10 or the last. This blank is treated with a ,stitleninc material preferably of a character which becomes soluble in moisture seas to enable the blank to be in a limp and readily workable condition while being completely shaped to the last and then become hardened, and stit toned-when allowed to dry out. lVhile any suitable colloid or other material which be comes softened by moisture may be employed as a stiffening material. we have "found in practice that glue size is quite satisfactory and is the best material now known to us for the purpose. For the purpose of eliminating surplus material in working the blank over the last-,particularly around the heel portion, and, also, to eilect a prelim nary shaping of the blank lie-the last without crimping the material, a ii-shaped piece of material is removed from the'rear portion of the blank where it is to fit over the heel of the last forming a notch 12 as indicated in Fig.71' and the blank is then folded longitudinally so as to bring the "edges of the notched portion in overlappedrelation in which position they are secured together by the stitches 16. Thus a heel receiving pocket is formed in the blank to receive the heel and cone portion of the last. This blank is then applied in limp condition to a last 01 the style upon which the shoe for which the form is being shaped was made, a tack being inserted at the rear of the heel it desired to prevent the blank from slipping on the last at the heel. r

In accordance with the present invention the last with the assembled shoe form blank is next presented for the operation oi": a pulling-over machine and the blank pulled over about the last in substantially the same manner as a shoe is pulled over, this being accomplished without any changcsjor other adjustments in the machine from those used for shoes. A well-known type oi": pulling over machine which is commonly used in man 1 shoe factories tor )ullin over boots against the heel end. ot the last and draft the blank longitudinally about the last and then exert a tension simultaneously on opposite sides oi the blank to draw the blank into the ,concaved instep portion of the last. Subsequent cycles of operation of the machine -arry the seized marginalportions 8 ot the blank over on to the last bottom 10 and while undertension secure the blank to the last bottom by a plurality oi tacks 2- 11: driven tit-i116 pulled over portions of the blank along the sides and at thetoe. Thus the blank is shaped to the toe portion ofthe last. 1

in the next step of the method oi the invention the remaining portions of the blank are worked over on to the last bottom and secured in lasted position to complete the shaping; of the blank. vantageously these remaining portions of the blank are lasted by a machine of the well known hand method lasting. machine ty e which operates by repeated progressive operations of a gripper 26 to seize the mar ginal portion 8 of the.blankptension;the"

blank about the last and then carry the margin over on to-the last-bottomiandses forward tension is applied,

Conveniently and ad cure it by a lasting tack 24. i hr'i'nachine of this type, ofwhich there are manyin common use, inshoe factories to last, shoes of shoe, is shown in Patent No. 58 ifl l4n ranted June 15, 1897 on application of Ladd l'v lclfeely. Although this machine will be found advantageous to last the sides and the rear portion of the blank similar re sults may be secured by using other methods, as by hand. By using this machine the blank is readily and accurately conformed to the exa t shape of the last and consequently the resulting shoe form will accurately fit any style of shoe which was made upon that same last. The shoe form is then allowed sufficient time to dry out and the stiffening;- material becomes set so as to stiffen the blank in the shape imparted to it while on the last,

In the next step of the process of mak ing the shoe forms the shaped blank 2 is removed from the last This is preferably done by severing the blank outside of the line of lasting tacks 2%- and preferably near the edge of the last along the line indicated at 29 in Fig. By cutting the shoe term tron! the last near the edge of the last the form may be readily removed from the last without subjecting it to any such distortion as to change permanently its stiliened shape. Incidentally the marginal portion 8 of the shoe blank which remains on the lastcan be readily removed by withdrawing the tacks so that the last employed for making the form is in no way impaired for "further service in the manufacture of a shoe and it may also be here noted that no strain is placed upon the last during the shaping of the blank to the last so that the only possible expense involved in utilizing the lasts to make the term is in the time the lasts are withdrawn from the production of shoes while the shoe forms are being made. in order to reinforce the shoe form and prevent it from spreading the opposite sides of the shaped blank are connected as illustrated in F 4 by suitable t ing strips 30 secured at either end by 11-. cts to the lower edge of the term, these reinforcing; strips being" preferably located at substantially the ball line and heel. breast line of the form, if the form is made to be used as a cover instead of an inside form the strip 30 will, of course. be omitted to permit the shoe and last to he put inside the form: While those shoe forms are now ready to be used in the shoe it desired the surface of the torm may be improved it desired by the application of finishing wax and then but ing; the form either with a line sandpaper or a revolving brush. If: the sc lected style of shoe with which the shoe form is to be used is of the Oxford type so that the cone portion of the form is exposed, a covering of fancy or ornamental fabric may be applied to the exposed cone portion of the form or also this portion of the form may be stained.

It will thus be seen that the method of making articles of shoe form above described can be readily practiscc, by the shoe manuia turer inasmuch as the necessary equipment is the same as that used in the factory for making shoes and he can vantap'eously make the desired number o'l:

shoeforms between the periods when the The factthat the blank is continuous across the top of the cone as indicated t in Fig. 4C is important for two reasons; said continuous integral portion 4 enables the pulloperation described to be etlected with out employing anything to hold the fabric on the cone such as would be necessary it the fabric presented an opening at the top of the cone. in other words, the portion 4 01 the fabric integrally bridges the upper portions of the sides of the form. This portion 4 also, in the completed article, forms a brace to hold the sides of the form properly spaced. It is to be further noted that this method of making shoe forms does not necessitate jacking the shoe form for any of the machine operations performed on it and consequently the form is not broken by any hole where it covers the cone portion of the last to enable the last spindle to enter the socket in the last thus preventing disfigura tion of this portion 5f the form. Since these shoe forms can be made by the manufacturer at a small cost and little inconvenience in any desired number a more extended use of shoe Forms can advantageously be made by the manufacturer. An portant advantage resulting from the method making shoe :Forms according to the above described process is that inasmuch they are made on the same stvle 01 last upon which the shoe they are to lit is made thev necessarily accurately fit that selected style oi shoe and conform to all of its pecull itios thereby displaying the shoe to the best advantage.

Havingdescribe l our invention, we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent: 5

1. That improvement in the art oi producing articles of shoe term which comprises applying to a shoe last or the stvle upon which the shoe is made a blank of teX tile material treating the blank with a solution of water soluble stiffening material conforming" the blank to the shape of the last,

including the top of the cone, by applying has a forward tension to the toe end of the blank and a tension simultaneously to opposite sides of the blank, securing the margin of the blank at the pulled over points to the last bottom, working the remaining portions of the blank over on the last bottom to complete the shaping of the blank to the last, allowing the blank to stiffen while shaped to the last, and thereafter removing the form from the last.

2. That improyement'in the art of pr0- ducing articles of shoe form which comprises applying to a shoe last of the style upon which the shoe is made a glue sized textile blank which is rendered limp and workable, by a tempering solution, contorm ing the blank to the shape of the last, including the top of the cone, by applying a forward tension to the toe end of the blank and a tension simultaneously to opposite sides of the blank, securing the margin of the blank at the pulledover points to the last bottom, working the remaining portions oi? the blank over on the last bottomby re pcated operations and securing each portion to the last as it is overworked, allowing the blank to become hard or stitf while shaped to the last and thereafter removing the form from vthe last.

That improvement in the art of producing shoe forms on which to display a selected style of shoe which comprises providing a shoe form blank of normally stilt and firm textile material shaped to completely envelop the top and sides 01. a shoe 'last of the style upon which the selected style of shoe is made and extend over on to the bottom of the last and having a pocket formed at its rear end to receive the heel end oi the last, rendering the blank limp and workable by application of a tempering solution, assembling the blank on the last, forming the blankrto the shape of the last by applying a forward tension to the too end of the blank and to opposite sides of the blank simultaneously and securing the mar gin ot the blank at the tensioned points to the last, working the portions of the blank which remain unshaped. over the last bottom by repeated operations and. tacking each portion to the last as it is overworked, al-

lowing the blank to become stiff and hard by evaporation of the moistureot the solution, while conformed to the shape of: the

last, and subsequently removing the form from the last and finishing its exterior surface substantially as described.

4:. That improvement in the art of pro ducing shoe forms on which to displaya' selected style of shoe which comprises, providin'ga blank of textile material which may be limp and workable while being operated upon and becomes hard and stilt when ing a V-shaped piece of material from the rear portion of the blank, folding the blank longitudinally and stitching the edges together to iorma pocket in the blank to re ceive the heel end of the last, rendering the blank limp and workable by treatment with a tempering solution and assembling it upon the last, conforming the blank to the shape oi the last by stretching the blank completely over thetop and sides of the last, securing the margin of the blank to the last by tacks, drying the blank while it is conformed to the shape of the last to render it firm and stiff. cutting the shaped form free of the last along a line within the margin of the bottom of the last and subsequently attaching a tying strip to opposite sides of the shoe form along its lower edge.

5. That improvement in the art 01": producing articles of shoe form which consists in impregnating a blank oit textile'i'abric with stiffening material, stretching said blank across the cone of a last and over the sides thereof while the blank is in limp condition, retaining the blank on the last in taut condition until the stiffening material hardens, and then separating the formed blank from the last. i

6. That improvement in the art of pro ducing articles of shoe form which consists in impregnating a blank of textile fabric with stiillening material, stretching said blank across the cone of a last and over the sides thereof and fastening edge'portions of the blank to the last bottom while the blank is in limp condition, retaining the blank on the last in taut condition until the stiii'l ening material hardens, and then cutting the stiffened fabric-along a line within the margin of the bottom of the last."

7. That improvement in the art of shaping articles from textile'material which includes providing a blank impregnated with glue size and containing sufl icient moisture of its points of attachment to the bottom of the torml In testimony "whereof we names to this specification.

EDTVARD BUCKLEY.

JAMES J. WHITE.

have signed our 

